Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Richard Hamilton in 1987.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Artwork

Untitled

Richard Hamilton , 1987

Untitled is a print by Richard Hamilton. It dates from 1987 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Richard Hamilton created this photogravure in 1987, using a still frame from a 1960s television advertisement.

Richard Hamilton created this photogravure in 1987, using a still frame from a 1960s television advertisement. The work is part of his broader exploration of mass media imagery, translated into fine art printmaking. Unlike his earlier pop art collages, this piece relies on the tonal subtlety of photogravure to transform a fleeting commercial moment into a contemplative image. It resides in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a woman reclining on her side, her form softened by motion blur. Derived from a commercial context, the figure is stripped of its original advertising purpose, becoming an ambiguous presence. The blur disrupts clarity, inviting interpretation: is the subject asleep, exhausted, or dissolved by media saturation? Hamilton resists narrative, instead emphasizing the instability of the televised image.

Technique & Style

Hamilton employed photogravure, a process that etches photographic tones onto a metal plate for printing. This method produces rich, velvety blacks and delicate gradations, evoking the texture of a pencil sketch. The deliberate blurring of the figure was not a technical flaw but a calculated aesthetic choice, aligning the image with the hazy quality of early television broadcasts and questioning photographic authenticity.

History & Provenance

The work was made nearly three decades after Hamilton’s landmark pop art collage of 1956, reflecting his sustained interest in media imagery. It was printed in an edition and later acquired by The Museum of Modern Art. Its provenance traces back to Hamilton’s late-career focus on printmaking, where he revisited earlier visual sources with new technical and conceptual rigor.

Context

Created during a period of expanding television and consumer culture, the piece responds to the increasing mediation of everyday life. Hamilton, a key figure in the Independent Group, consistently examined how advertising and mass media shaped perception. This work continues that inquiry, not through satire, but through quiet visual disruption and material refinement.

Legacy

Hamilton’s use of photogravure in this piece influenced later artists exploring the intersection of photography, print, and media decay. By elevating a discarded commercial frame into a finely crafted print, he underscored the poetic potential of overlooked visual artifacts. The work remains a quiet but significant example of his lifelong engagement with the materiality of images.